Rotatable christmas tree stand



Sept, 18, 1956 A. E. LINDSELL ROTATABLE CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Filed Aug.20, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Andrew EMT/M56 INVEN TOR.

p W, 1956 A. E. LINDSELL 2,763,454

ROTATABLE CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Filed Aug. 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIII III-- 48 Andrew E Lindse/I t 78 I INVENTOR.

66 g 40 {7 9 52525233545? g BY 8 0 50 Attorneys United States PatentROTATABLE CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Andrew E. Lindsell, Queens Village, N. Y.

Application August 20, 1953, Serial No. 375,474

1 Claim. (Cl. 248--45) This invention relates in general to improvementson Christmas tree stands, and more specifically to a Christmas treestand which is both rotatable and tiltable so as to permit ease oftrimming a Christmas tree.

This invention is an improvement on my Patent No. 2,605,067, dated July29, 1952, and presents a simpler and more easily formed construction soas to be economically feasible.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a Christmas treestand which may rigidly support at Christ mas tree in a desired positionand which is so constructed and arranged whereby a Christmas treecarried thereby may be temporarily tilted and rotated so that such aChristmas tree may be easily trimmed.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved Christmastree stand which includes both pivoting means and rotatable means tofacilitate trimming of the Christmas tree, said means being so arrangedwhereby a minimum of stress is imposed on the parts of the stand.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved Christmastree stand, which among other elements includes a supporting base, thesupporting base being provided with extensible legs whereby Christmastrees of various sizes may be accommodated without tilting over.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the Christmas tree stand which is thesubject of this invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a supporting base and carriage of theChristmas tree stand, the base being provided with extensions and beingpartially broken away and shown in sections in order to illustrate themanner in which the carriage is pivotally carried thereby;

Figure 3 is a top plan view on a reduced scale of the Christmas treestand and shows the base being provided with extensions;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the central portion of theChristmas tree stand on a reduced scale;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially upon theplane indicated by the section line 5-5 of Figure 3 and shows the mannerin which the receptacle of the Christmas tree stand is rotatably mountedrelative to the carriage, a tilted position of the receptacle beingshown in dotted lines; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 6--6 of Figure 3 and showsthe exact manner in which the receptacle is connected to the carriage,also being illustrated is the manner in which the carriage is pivotallyconnected to and locked with respect to the supporting base.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be, seen that theChristmas tree stand, which is the subject of this invention, includes asupporting base which is referred to in general by the reference numeral10. The supporting base 10 includes a pair of elongated sides 12 and 14.The sides 12 and 14 have spaced parallel central portions 16 and 18,respectively, which are connected together by transverse members 20.Each of the sides 12 and 14 terminate in diverging legs 22 and 24 whichare integral with their respective central portions. It will be notedthat the legs 22 of the sides 12 and 14 are provided with apertures 26adjacent their free ends. The apertures 26 have passed therethroughfasteners 28 which connect to the legs 22 the angular extensions 30.

Each of the angular extensions 30 includes a relatively short connectingportion 32 and a relatively long outer portion 34. It will be noted thatthe outer portion 34 is at such an angle to the connecting portion 32 soas to permit the outer portions 34 to be in spaced parallel relationwhen connected to their legs 22.

The Christmas tree stand also includes a carriage which is referred toin general by the reference numeral 36. The carriage 36 is U-shaped incross section, as is best illustrated in Figure 6, and includes an upperhorizontal flat portion 38 and depending flanges 40. The flanges 40 arein face to face engagement with the inner faces of the central portions16 and 18 and are pivotally connected thereto by a centrally locatedpivot pin 42.

The carriage 36 is intended to pivot with respect to the supporting base19 and is entirely confined within the supporting base 16. In order thattilting of the carriage 36 may be limited, the central portions 16 and18 are provided with inwardly extending flanges 44 and 46. The flangesare disposed in pairs which are in opposed relation. The flanges 44extend vertically and are intended to engage first edges of the flanges40 to limit pivoting of the carriage 36 past a generally verticalposition.

The flanges 46 slope upwardly and outwardly and are intended to engagesecond edge of the flanges 40 to limit pivoting of the carriage 36 to anangular tree trimming position.

in order that the carriage 36 may be retained in a vertical position,the central portion 16 is provided with a removable locking screw 48.The locking screw 48 is selectively received in an aperture 50 in one ofthe flanges 40.

The Christmas tree stand also includes a receptacle which is referred toin general by the reference numeral 52. The receptacle 52 includes acylindrical body portion 54 and a bottom 56. The body portion 54 isprovided with a scalloped outer edge 58 and disposed adjacent the upperedge 58 is a plurality of axially extending bosses 60. The bosses 60 areinternally threaded and have passed therethrough wing screws 62, thewing screws 62 passing into the interior of the receptacle 52 andintended to lockingly position a Christmas tree therein.

Referring now to Figure 6 in particular, it will be seen that the bottom56 of the receptacle 52 is provided with an integral downwardlyextending pin 64. The pin 64 passes through a centrally located aperture66 in the horizontal portion 38 of the carriage 36 and permits to tationof the receptacle 52 with respect to the carriage 36. The pin 64 has anenlarged shoulder portion 68 which directly underlies the lower surfaceof the bottom 56 and which forms a spacer for a suitable bearing 70surrounding the pin 64 and seated on the horizontal portion 38 of thecarriage 36. The pin 64 is retained in the bore 66 by a locking nut 72which is threadedly engaged on the lower end of the pin 64. Carried bythe pin 64 and disposed between the locking nut 72 and the underside 3of the horizontal portion 38 is a suitable bearing spacer 74.

In view of the foregoing it will be seen that the receptacle 52 ismounted for selective rotation relative to the carriage 36. In orderthat rotation of the receptacle 52 with respect to the carriage 36 maybe selectively prevented, the horizontal portion 38 of the carriage 36is provided with an internally threaded bore 76 underlying the bottom56. Threadedly engaged in the bore 76 is a locking screw 78 which isselectively engageable with the underside of the bottom 56. The lockingscrew 58 is provided with an enlarged knurled head 80 to facilitaterotation thereof. It will be seen that the locking screw 78 mayfrictionally engage the bottom 56 to prevent rotation of the receptacle52.

It will be noted that the pin 64, which is preferably formed integrallywith the bottom 56, but which may be separate, includes an upwardlyextending projection 82 which is disposed within the confines of thereceptacle 52 above the bottom 56. The projection 32 is pointed as at 84and is intended ot pierce the base of a Christmas tree to facilitatecentering of the Christmas tree with respect to receptacle 52.

It is the purpose of the above described Christmas tree stand tosuitably support a Christmas tree in a tilted position for trimming.Accordingly, when it is desired to trim a Christmas tree (not shown)carried by the Christmas tree stand, which is the subject of thisinvention, the locking screws 48 and 78 are removed. This permitstilting of both the carriage 36 and the receptacle 52 as well asrotation of the receptacle 52. After a Christmas tree has been trimmed,it is restored to its vertical position and retained therein bypositioning the locking screws 48 and 78 in the positions illustrated inFigure 6.

The purpose of the extensions 30 is to permit the base to accommodatelarge Christmas trees without tilting over. It will be noted that theextensions 30 are disposed only on the end of the base 10 towards whichthe Christmas tree tilts. It will be seen that the only turning movementis in this direction primarily. If desired, the extensions 30 may bereplaced if found not to be needed for a particular sized Christmastree.

' From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device willbe readily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur 4 to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A Christmas tree stand comprising a horizontal open base frame havingspaced opposite side members, a carriage of inverted U-shape including ahorizontal flat portion having depending terminal flanges fittingbetween said side members and pivoted thereto for vertical tilting ofsaid carriage in said frame in opposite directions, a receptacleupstanding from and rotatably mounted on said carriage and securedthereto for tilting with said carriage, a pair of opposite lugs on saidside members respectively limiting tilting of said carriage in one direction when said receptacle is perpendicular to the frame, another pairof opposite lugs on said side members respectively limiting tilting ofsaid carriage in the opposite direction when said receptacle is inclinedout of per pendicular position, a hand screw threaded upwardly throughsaid flat portion for engagement with and disengagement from saidreceptacle to lock said receptacle against rotation in its perpendicularposition and to unlock the receptacle for rotation when the receptacleis inclined, and a screw in one of said side members engageable with oneof said flanges for locking the carriage against tilting.

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